2013 Champions Nigeria will face 2010 champions Egypt as well as Sudan in the group stage of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, www.aclsports.com reports.
At the draws for the Confederation of African Football (CAF)’s flagship tournament conducted in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon on Tuesday night, the three former winners were drawn in group D alongside Guinea-Bissau.
Host nation Cameroon, winners in 2000 and 2002 will face 2013 beaten finalists Burkina Faso in the tournament’s opening game on January 9 with both teams joined in Group A by Ethiopia and Cape Verde.
Nigeria will open their group stage campaign against Egypt in Garoua on Tuesday, January 11, 2022 before facing Sudan and Guinea Bissau on January 15 and 19 respectively.
The 2021 AFCON is the second edition that will be played in its expanded 24-team format, meaning that up to three teams can advance from a group although the top two sides are the only automatic choices.
The competition’s championship match will be decided on February 6, 2022 at the Paul Biya Stadium, Yaounde where the competition will also start from on the 9th of January.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles will be bidding for their fourth African crown after previously winning the title in 1980, 1994 and 2013.
FULL DRAWS
Group A
Cameroon
Burkina Faso
Ethiopia
Cape Verde
Group B
Senegal
Zimbabwe
Guinea
Malawi
Group C
Morocco
Ghana
Comoros
Gabon
Group D
Nigeria
Egypt
Sudan
Guinea-Bissau
Group E
Algeria
Sierra-Leone
Equatorial-Guinea
Coted’voire
Group F
Tunisia
Mali
Mauritania
The Gambia
